(I’m pleased to announce that if you’d rather listen to this post, say on your way to work or during your break, you now can! Just click on the link below. I’ve done all the reading for you.)
https://www.spreaker.com/user/10055454/sitting-down-to-write-and-staying-there_1
The Introduction
I’m sitting down to write for 30 minutes each day. It’s a major comedown from what I was previously clocking, but it’ll have to do in getting the engines warmed up again. The cold, dry crack of misuse is sounding loudly. I have this habit of starting things and not finishing them. It’s a cute thing I do.
So I’m sitting down to write whether or not I have an idea to write about. That’s something I’ve heard writers do. 30 minutes straight. No hollowed out remnants of procrastination– the quick text message, the making of a snack, the brief check of social media and blog comments. I’ve given it a few attempts, some more successful than others; but I’m always sucked back into my let’s go out and look at the flowers ways again. Staying focused is a challenge for me, especially when the world has so many beautiful things in it. But I’m doing it this time. Thirty days of sitting, me and paper, or me and computer, and writing and nothing else, except maybe getting up to make more tea, or pulling a book off the shelf to check a reference.
Of course, I took the liberty of doing day one last night so that you can have something to read about immediately. I know the kind of culture we live in.
Day One
As you can imagine, everything calls out to me, including Daisy the cat. I sit in front of the computer and, to my horror, I start writing about my cat. This has gone so quickly down a dark path that I hadn’t the time to gather my flashlight, matches, or anything. I’m a woman writer writing about her cat. I don’t have to tell you that this is an unsavory situation. I’ll be sure to make no mention of a cat in my next piece of writing. Except that this is my next piece of writing, and I’ve been doing it again.
But this is the morning, and with morning brings hope. One of the benefits of writing at night is that the writer gets to wake up in the morning, read what was written the night before, and dive into a nauseated panic. She says to herself, maybe I was just too tired to be writing last night. I had no business. She pours extra sugar into her coffee. She moves to the couch and brings her knees to her chest. Her soul is trying to leave her body; she can feel it.
Either way, there’s something more than a blank page to look to and that should count for something. Right? She begs her soul to stay a little longer, at least until the coffee sinks in and she’s rolled up her sleeves. At least until she’s managed to brush her teeth. Soul agrees. Soul is a writer and would hate to go vagabonding around and find that all the other writers have already been occupied. She’s stuck with this one. Writers are certain that their writer souls would prefer to occupy someone else, someone with a bit more talent. Writer calls her soul a bitch. You’d think that soul would hear, but she’s back to staring out the window thinking up a cool photography project. And she thinks I’m the problem, writer mumbles under her breath.
We are often our own biggest obstacle.
Did you listen to the audio version? Is it something that you’d like more of in the future? Let me know in the comments!
My name is Lyz-Stephanie and I want to inspire you to live a more interesting, fulfilling and beautiful life. Think of me as your well-being and happiness guide. I know that things aren’t always easy. Life doesn’t drop dreams into our laps, but every day we can do something to make our lives happier and richer, make our minds more active and engaged. I’m on the journey. Will you join me?
If you like what you’re reading and think I’m kind of a cool chick, please share the link. And don’t forget to find me on the other side! Instagram I Twitter I Pinterest
Oof, I can’t manage 5 minutes lately, much less 30. I love how you turned your experience with day one into a story. Look at you go. 🙂 ❤ Also, "I have this habit of starting things and not finishing them. It’s a cute thing I do." Same, girl. Same. But you look cute doing that cute thing! Haha xx
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Girl, you’ve got to start where you feel comfortable. I used to write for 3-4 hours a day, so for me 30 minutes is like nadda, but it’s where I am in life and I’ve got to be real. I’m fighting for 30 minutes. You just sit your pretty self down in a chair and stare at a paper for 5 minutes. If something comes, great. If nothing comes, you’ve done your part lol. I’m glad you liked my story 🙂
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I used to be the same way! The good ol’ days, haha. But you’re right. It’s time to just do it. Five minutes. Even if I literally do nothing but stare at a blank screen, at least I was dedicating that time to it instead of scrolling through Instagram or something.
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I can’t even say how many hours Instagram has taken from my life, but there’s so many darned pretty things! And you’re so right, sometimes the time is there but we’d rather do something easier. Staring blankly isn’t easy, but it might get you feeling productive just for setting the time aside. I’m with you in spirit! Do you prefer mornings or evenings for writing, or is it scattered about like me?
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I think maybe staring at the computer for 5 minutes and doing nothing else will eventually desensitize me to the blank-page panic. Writing time is scattered for me. 🙂 I go through phases where I don’t really write for months, then I’ll do nothing but write for a month or two — and it’s any time of day that I have 30 seconds to do it.
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Well then, it sounds like the computer is your ally. I’m always writing, but the intensity with which I do it is always fluctuating. You’re like one of those kids who goes from never talking to speaking full sentences one day, no middle ground. You’re just absorbing life, filing it away and then getting it all out at once.
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That is a great way of looking at it. I never thought of it that way at all, but I love it! Sounds spot on.
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Loved listening to it, Lyz. And I think its not so unsavory a situation 😉
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I’m on a path to crazy cat lady village and you call that not unsavory?? You’re probably already living there aren’t you?
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Lol. Yes, and I’d like you to join me! And as far as fiction goes, just think of all those successful cat books. And playing with a cat is a great way to unwind and allow your creative process to start. So go get that that ball of string and start playing. Go get it!
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It’s funny you say that because the writing I did was discussing how Daisy has been affecting my writing. She’s really starting to open so much. I never knew that cats could be so playful and interesting. I will get to it!
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Your voice is like warm smokey honey. You are just a beautiful creature. On another note, I think that we have all trained ourselves into a state of perpetual ADD and that just sitting down and writing is a great brain trainer.
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I’ve never heard my voice described in such beautiful terms before. I might just take a screenshot of this comment. It’ll be staying close to my heart regardless I also want waffles now for some reason. And yes, the ADD is kicked up in high gear. Even writing on my computer is tough because the internet is right there calling to me.
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For real, its a great voice, I would hire you to do the audio track of my life story. It’s mostly sex scenes lol
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Bwahahaha, sounds like you’re living the life. I’m going to let you know right now, I would totally do the reading for your life story. I’ll take some shots of tequila and rock it. This is my official resume.
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I can understand the issues you are having with focusing, because I can’t too. It’s good, that we are taking control of our lives together.
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I’m glad to hear that you’re out there taking control. There’s so many ways to be distracted, so good for you 🙂
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I can’t say I am taking control, but at least making a conscious effort to try.
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Such a great post!!!!!!
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Yay, thank you so much! 🙂
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Your voice sounded beautiful and I agree with the comment above about it being like smoky honey. DG describes it perfectly. The content was so beautifully written, poetic, and I can relate to that bit you mention about writers wanting to haunt another writer’s mind. One with more talent. Sigh. The bane of our existence? Who knows but maybe it makes us want to strive more and excel at what we do. xx
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Thank you so much, Arundhati. It means a lot to me that you liked the writing. What a complicated relationship, the writer with her mind. But how great it is to push ourselves and see the positive results. And nothing beats the perfect sentence.
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Isn’t it? You are there though with the perfect sentences though so I would say you are acing the game. Nothing is more inspiring than reading beautifully crafted sentences that are but precious pieces of art. xx
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You’re making me so very happy 🙂 It’s nice to hear that there’s decent stuff among the scattering of letters and words, isn’t it? You already know that I love the beautifully crafted sentences that you create. Your descriptions are so vivid and full. xx
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Here we pat each other now 😉 We should do it someday with popcorn (so unladylike but hey we have got to have balance), coffee/tea, baked goodies and tinkling china to make it all ladylike! xx
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I’ll have two of everything to start off. Yes, we definitely have to do it in person. It’s a must!
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